Container closure with locking pull spout, and integral spout cap, pull ring, and outer seal

ABSTRACT

A container having a flanged opening therein, receives on the container flange at this opening, a closure combination including: a spout guide and support directly received on the flange and having a central aperture with an internal thread locating and piloting a spout which is initially fully retracted into the container; a closure member having a rim portion received on the spout support member where the latter is mounted on the container flange, with a closure retainer ring clamped onto the container flange to secure the closure member in place; the closure member further including an intermediate portion and a central portion, the central portion being snapped into the outer end of the spout whereby it serves as a spout cap, the intermediate portion having a tab and pull ring connected thereto, and being distinguished from the central and outer portions by break-away lines to facilitate unsealing of the closure when desired by pulling the pull ring and severing the intermediate portion from the outer portion, the end of the intermediate portion opposite the pull ring being permanently secured to the central portion, all portions of the outer closure member being one integral unit of plastic, the spout having an external thread engageable with the internal thread of the spout support when the spout is extended after severing the intermediate portion from the outer portion of the closure member, to facilitate tightening of the extended spout in a sealing relationship against the spout support when the spout is in extended position to facilitate pouring without leakage, the pull ring being sized so that it can be pushed onto the extended spout after removal of the central, spout cap portion from the end of the spout, to thereby keep the cap with the container while pouring contents from the container.

United States Patent [191 Rieke Apr. 16, 1974 CONTAINER CLOSURE WITH LOCKING PULL SPOUT, AND INTEGRAL SPOUT CAP, PULL RING, AND OUTER SEAL Glenn T. Rieke, Auburn, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Rieke Corporation, Auburn, Ind.

[22] Filed: Aug. 1, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 384,751

[75] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Stanley l-l. Tollberg Attorney, Agent, or F irmWoodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton [57] ABSTRACT A container having a flanged opening therein, receives on the container flange at this opening, a closure combination including: a spout guide and support directly received on the flange and having a central aperture with an internal thread locating and piloting a spout which is initially fully retracted into the container; a

closure member having a rim portion received on the spout support member where the latter is mounted on the container flange, with a closure retainer ring clamped onto the container flange to secure the closure member in place; the closure member further including an intermediate portion and a central portion, the central portion being snapped into the outer end of the spout whereby it serves as a spout cap, the intermediate portion having a tab and pull ring connected thereto, and being distinguished from the central and outer portions by break-away lines to facilitate unsealing of the closure when desired by pulling the pull ring and severing the intermediate portion from the outer portion, the end of the intermediate portion opposite the pull ring being permanently secured to the central portion, all portions of the outer closure member being one integral unit of plastic, the spout having an external thread engageable with the internal thread of the spout support when the spout is extended after severing the intermediate portion from the outer portion of the closure member, to facilitate tightening of the extended spout in a sealing relationship against the spout support when the spout is in extended position to facilitate pouring without leakage, the pull ring being sized so that it can be pushed onto the extended spout after removal of the central, spout cap portion from the end of the spout, to thereby keep the cap with the container while pouring contents from the container.

13 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPRIBW 3,804,305

SHEET 1 [1F 2 55 13 34 "Iiili 12 PATENIEDAPRIBIQH 3.804.305

SHEET 2 [If 2 CONTAINER CLOSURE WITH LOCKING PULL SPOUT, AND INTEGRAL SUT CAP, FULL RING, AND OUTER SEAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to container closures, and more particularly to closures of the retractable and extendable pull-spout type having initial sealing and tamper-proofing features.

2. Description of the Prior Art Although I am aware of many prior art patents on closures, those which occur to me as being more pertinent than others to the specific field of this invention are as follows:

U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,699, Aug. 28, 1951, Irvin H. Rieke; U.S. Pat. No. 2,661,128, Dec. 1, 1953, Irvin I-I. Rieke; U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,037, Nov. 27, 1956, Glenn T. Rieke; U.S. Pat. No. 2,774,523, Dec. 18, 1956, Glenn T. Rieke; U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,654, July 21, 1959 Glenn T. Rieke; U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,938, June 26, 1962, Rulo Wayne Smith; U.S.. Pat. No. 3,203,665, Aug. 31, 1965, Edward J Grant and Glenn T. Rieke; U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,428, May 10, 1966, Glenn T. Rieke; U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,740, Sept. 14, 1971, Kenneth L. Summers.

Perhaps there are some references cited in the foregoing patents which might also have some relationship to my present invention, but I am uncertain that I have seen them all and do not remember the details of the ones which I have seen except, of course, those of the above listed patents which have been cited in others of the above listed patents. In any event, there has remained a. need for improvement in sealing such closures and in facilitating the opening thereof, when desired. Also it seems that the matter of avoiding loss of a cap, remains a perennial problem, despite the fact that prior art exists showing means for avoiding loss of a cap, one example being in a U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,128,

issued Nov. 3, 1959 to Krautkramer. I recall none which provide for cap retention in a tear-open closure. Therefore'the present invention was made as the result of my efforts to improve the product and solve some of the problems associated with prior art constructions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENT ION Described briefly, in a typical embodiment of the present invention,-a container having a flange at an opening in the walls thereof, has a closure member clamped to the flange, the closure member having a central portion serving as a. cap for a spout disposed inside the container, the spout being secured to the central portion, and the closure member having a rim portion and an intermediate portion between the central portion and the rim portion, the three portions being distinguished by break-out lines of thin cross section, there being a thick section between one end of the intermediate portion and the central portion so that, as the intermediate portion is manually broken out from the rim portion and central portion, the end thereof remains intact with the central portion whereby the spout can be pulled from the retracted or nested position to an extended position by pulling the end of the intermediate portion first broken out from the rim and central portion. Thread means are provided on the spout for establishing a tight seal of the spout in the extended position for pouring without leakage, and a loop may be provided on the one end of the intermediate portion to facilitate the breaking away thereof for unsealing the closure and pulling the spout to the extended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a portion of a container having a closure thereon according to a typical embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken at line 2-2 in FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the outermost closure member of the assembly.

FIG. 5 is a view of the spout partially opened after the pull ring has been used to break open the seal and begin pulling the spout outwardly.

FIG. 6 is a view of the spout fully extended, with the cap removed, the spout locked in place and ready for pouring.

FIG. 7 is a view with the spout fully extended and the cap in place closing the end of the spout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, a container wall, typically the top, is shown at 11, having an opening therein with an upstanding circular flange 12 defining the perimeter of the opening. The illustrated embodiment includes an overseal closure member made of plastic and including a central cap portion 13, and intermediate portion 14, and a rim portion 16. There is also a member 17 which serves as a spout support as well as a mounting flange or bung ring, and the rim portion thereof is received on the flange 12. The rim portion of the spout support, together with the rim of the closure member, is clamped to the container opening flange 12 by means of a retainer in the form of a clamping ring 18.

The spout support has about one and one quarter internal screw threads 19 and the spout body 21 has about one and one half screw threads 22 near its lower end. The upper end of the spout body has an external stop flange 23 thereon which prevents the spout from falling down through the spout support into the container. The spout body has an internally projecting flange 24 retaining the lip 26 of the central portion of the closure member whereby the central portion serves to cap the spout. A groove is actually provided in the spout body below the flange 24, and also in the cap above the annular ridge or lip 26, and the lip 26 is sealingly received, as well as detented in the groove. Therefore the underside 27 of the cap portion need not engage the upper end of the spout, although the clearance therebetween is small. I

The central or cap portion of the closure is distinguished from the intermediate portion by a first break out line 28, and the intermediate portion is distinguished from the rim portion by a second breakout line 29. In FIG. 3 it can be seen that the section thickness of the break-out lines is much less than the section thickness of the intermediate portion and of the central portion and of the rim portion immediately under the inner flange 31 of the retainer ring. It can also be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, that there is an upstanding tab 32 from the intermediate portion to a pull ring 33 disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spout. The loop is normally retained in this position, closely spaced above the top of the cap portion, by means of the connector post 34. As can best be seen in the view of FIG. 4, break-out line 29 extends around the entire circumference of the intermediate portion while, in contrast thereto, the break-out line 28 extends from a transverse break-out line 36 counterclockwise (FIG. 4) to a point 37 near the tab end 38 of the intermediate portion but spaced therefrom, whereby a section thickness at the connector portion 39 is considerably greater than along the break-out lines. Therefore, when the ring is pulled, severing the retainer post 34 and beginning to break-out the intermediate portion from the end 38 around the circumference of the central portion, the breaking from the central portion will stop at the termination point 37, whereas it will continue around the complete circumference of the break-out line 29 to thereby sever the cap portion from the rim portion and enable the pulling upward of the cap by means of the intermediate portion (now extended) as shown in FIG. whereby the cap can beraised. In addition, there is a radially outwardly projecting stop tab 41, projecting laterally from the cap portion immediately above the break-out line top surface and having an abutment edge 42 to positively stop the tearing of the intermediate portion 14 from the cap portion and thus assure it will not be torn completely away.

When the cap and spout assembly have been pulled out to the point where the thread 22 begins to engage thread 19, the spout can be turned clockwise, (FIG. 1) to engage the threads and screw the spout upwardly until engagement of the spout body seal rib 44 with the lead-in surface 46 of the spout support member. Upon further tightening, this seal rib or bead 44 will enter the spout support, piloting and sealing against the inner cylindrical surface 47 thereof. At approximately the same time, the upper face 48 of the lower flange of the spout body will engage the lip sealing bead 49 on the bottom of the spout support, whereby a complete circular seal is accomplished as the clockwise turning of the spout is continued. The engagement of this seal bead 49 by the upper face 48 of the lower flange effects the tightening of the: spout in the spout support to the point where it can no longer be turned clockwise. At that time, a complete circular seal, both at the bead 49 on the lower flange, and at the bead 44 on the spout body, is achieved. As shown in the drawings, the lower flange is provided with a plurality of vent holes therein to provide a venting feature as disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,938 and also as shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,740 at FIG. 3.

When the cap is removed, the ring can be forced over the flange or head 23 at the outer end of the spout and pushed downwardly on the spout as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. It is a snug fit on the spout body and serves to store the cap during pouring and then the cap can be replaced on the end of the spout after pouring, as shown in FIG. 7, thereby resealing the closure in the pulled-up position.

If it is ever desired to push the spout back into the container fully, the pull ring can be removed from the spout, the spout unscrewed from the support, pushed inwardly, and the cap replaced thereon. A snug fit between the inner surface 51 of the cap and the outer surface 52 of the support (FIG. 3) will reasonably well seal the assembly to prevent spillage which might result otherwise from sloshing of contents of the container.

At the present time, it appears that the materials most satisfactory for use on a commercial basis are metal for the clamping ring, a low density polyethylene having considerable toughness and extendable in tension before fraction, for the closure member, so that it is flexible or pliable enough to properly seal on the spout and on the spout support, but can be pulled without fracture and yet after a certain amount of extension of the material along the tear or break-out lines, will tear easily along those lines, while the intermediate portion remains intact. For the spout support, a highdensity linear polyethylene appears to be most suitable for rigidity and good sealability between the spout support and the spout, and for the spout itself, a highdensity polypropylene appears to be most suitable. A very rigid type of plastic is desirable in the spout and polypropylene has this characteristic. The polyethylenes and polypropylene have the advantage of being very resistant to most liquid chemicals. Typically the container stock is of metal, although there is no reason why the present closure cannot be incorporated with plastic containers.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a pull spout closure assembly for a container having a flanged opening therein and a spout in the opening extendable outside the container to facilitate pouring contents from the container, the improvement comprising:

a closure member having a central portion, a rim portion, and an intermediate portion between the central portion and rim portion, all of said portions being of a single unit of material,

the central portion being distinguished from the intermediate portion by a first break-out line, and the intermediate portion being distinguished from the outer portion by a second break-out line, said break-out linesbeing of sufficiently less'cross sectional thickness in said material than the thickness of the intermediate portion to accommodate breaking out of the intermediate portion from the central and outer portions by manually pulling on the intermediate portion,

said intermediate portion having facing ends defined by a third break-out line extending between said first and second break-out lines;

tab means projecting outwardly from the intermediate portion adjacent one of the ends thereof to facilitate manual application of force to the intermediate portion to break out the intermediate portion from the rim portion, and

spout connector means on the inner surface of said central portion.

2. The improvement of claim 1 and further comprising:

pull handle means on the tab means.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein:

the pull handle means is a loop disposed immediately outside of the central portion in closely spaced relation thereto, the tab means and the loop being an integral portion of the unit of material.

4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein the closure member is circular about a central axis, the improvement further comprising:

a loop container connecting the loop to the central portion at a point remote from the tab means, to locate and retain the loop in a plane perpendicular to said axis, the loop retainer being an integral portion of the unit of material.

5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the material is plastic characterized by toughness and extensibility in tension, before fracture.

6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein:

the first break-out line extends from the said one of the ends of the intermediate portion to a termination point near but spaced from the other of the ends of the intermediate portion, whereby the intermediate portion remains secure to the central portion at the said other end after fully breaking away from the rim portion and after breaking away from the central portion everyplace except in the portion between the said point and the other end.

7. The improvement of claim 6 and further comprising:

tear stop tab means projecting outwardly from the central portion at the said termination point.

8. The improvement of claim 1 and further comprising:

a spout support member having a rim portion receiving thereon the rim portion of said closure member, and having a central opening, and having a perimetrical sealing bead disposed between the central opening and the rim portion; and

a spout having an elongated rigid body received in the central opening of the spout support member and movable longitudinally in said opening between a retracted position and a pulled-up position, said spout having an outer surface sealingly engageable with said sealing bead when said spout is in said pulled-up position,

said spout sealingly receiving said central portion of said closure member on the outer end of said spout when said spout is in the pulled-up position, to close said spout to passage of fluid therethrough, the said central portion thereby serving as a spout closure cap.

9. The improvement of claim 8 and further comprising:

a pull loop connected to said tab means and having an internal diameter so related to the external dimensions of said spout body as to provide a snug fit of the loop on the spout body when mounted thereon following separation of the central portion from the spout body to provide a secure retainer for the central portion when separated from the end of the spout body.

10. The improvement of claim 1 and further comprising:

a spout support member having a rim portion receiving thereon the rim portion of said closure member, and having a central opening with an internal thread therein, and having an inwardly projecting perimetrical sealing bead disposed between the central opening and the rim portion thereof; and

a spout having a body received in the central opening and having stop means at the outer end thereof to preclude separation of the spout from the spout support, by limiting inward movement of the spout, and said spout having thread means near the inner end thereof threadedly receivable in said thread of the spout support during extension of the spout outside the container, and said spout having a flange extending radially outward from the body thereof and having an outer surface engageable with said sealing bead during threading the spout thread means with said thread in the spout support, to tighten the spout in the spout support and thereby provide a rigid spout in the pull-up position and seal the spout to the spout support.

11. The improvement of claim 10 and further comprising:

a pilot and seal bead on the spout between the thread means thereon and the flange thereon, and guidingly receivable in the spout support to provide a circumferential seal between the spout body and the spout support on the inner circumferential surface of the spout support inwardly of the thread means in the spout support.

12. The improvement of claim 10 wherein:

said spout body includes closure retainer means thereon;

said spout connector means are received on and interengage with said closure retainer means to retain said closure central portion on said spout to reseal said spout when said spout is in the extended tightened position,

whereby said central portion serves as a spout closure cap. 13. The improvement of claim 12 and further comprising:

a pull loop connected to said tab means and having an internal diameter so related to the external dimensions of said spout body as to provide a snug fit of the loop on the spout body when mounted thereon following separation of the cap from the spout body to provide a secure retainer for the cap when separated from the end of the spout body. 

1. In a pull spout closure assembly for a container having a flanged opening therein and a spout in the opening extendable outside the container to facilitate pouring contents from the container, the improvement comprising: a closure member having a central portion, a rim portion, and an intermediate portion between the central portion and rim portion, all of said portions being of a single unit of material, the central portion being distinguished from the intermediate portion by a first break-out line, and the intermediate portion being distinguished from the outer portion by a second breakout line, said break-out lines being of sufficiently less cross sectional thickness in said material than the thickness of the intermediate portion to accommodate breaking out of the intermediate portion from the central and outer portions by manually pulling on the intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having facing ends defined by a third break-out line extending between said first and second breakout lines; tab means projecting outwardly from the intermediate portion adjacent one of the ends thereof to facilitate manual application of force to the intermediate portion to break out the intermediate portion from the rim portion, and spout connector means on the inner surface of said central portion.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 and further comprising: pull handle means on the tab means.
 3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein: the pull handle means is a loop disposed immediately outside of the central portion in closely spaced relation thereto, the tab means and the loop being an integral portion of the unit of material.
 4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein the closure member is circular about a central axis, the improvement further comprising: a loop container connecting the loop to the central portion at a point remote from the tab means, to locate and retain the loop in a plane perpendicular to said axis, the loop retainer being an integral portion of the unit of material.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the material is plastic characterized by toughness and extensibility in tension, before fracture.
 6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein: the first break-out line extends from the said one of the ends of the intermediate portion to a termination point near but spaced from the other of the ends of the intermediate portion, whereby the intermediate portion remains secure to the central portion at the said other end after fully breaking away from the rim portion and after breaking away from the central portion everyplace except in the portion between the said point and the other end.
 7. The improvement of claim 6 and further comprising: tear stop tab means projecting outwardly from the central portion at the said termination point.
 8. The improvement of claim 1 and further comprising: a spout support member having a rim portion receiving thereon the rim portion of said closure member, and having a central opening, and having a perimetrical sealing bead disposed between the central opening and the rim portion; and a spout having an elongated rigid body received in the central opening of the spout support member and movable longitudinally in said opening between a retracted position and a pulled-up position, said spout having an outer surface sealingly engageable with said sealing bead when said spout is in said pulled-up position, said spout sealingly receiving said central portion of said closure member on the outer end of said spout when said spout is in the pulled-up position, to close said spout to passage of fluid therethrough, the said central portion thereby serving as a spout closure cap.
 9. The improvement of claim 8 and further comprising: a pull loop connected to said tab means and having an internal diameter so related to the external dimensions of said spout body as to provide a snug fit of the loop on the spout body when mounted thereon following separation of the central portion from the spout body to provide a secure retainer for the central portion when separated from the end of the spout body.
 10. The improvement of claim 1 and further comprising: a spout support member having a rim portion receiving thereon the rim portion of said closure member, and having a central opening with an internal thread therein, and having an inwardly projecting perimetrical sealing bead disposed between the central opening and the rim portion thereof; and a spout having a body received in the central opening and having stop means at the outer end thereof to preclude separation of the spout from the spout support, by limiting inward movement of the spout, and said spout having thread means near the inner end thereof threadedly receivable in said thread of the spout support during extension of the spout outside the container, and said spout having a flange extending radially outward from the body thereof and having an outer surface engageable with said sealing bead during threading the spout thread means with said thread in the spout support, to tighten the spout in the spout support and thereby provide a rigid spout in the pull-up position and seal the spout to the spout support.
 11. The improvement of claim 10 and further comprising: a pilot and seal bead on the spout between the thread means thereon and the flange thereon, and guidingly receivable in the spout support to provide a circumferential seal between the spout body and the spout support on the inner circumferential surface of the spout support inwardly of the thread means in the spout support.
 12. The improvement of claim 10 wherein: said spout body includes closure retainer means thereon; said spout connector means are received on and interengage with said closure retainer means to retain said closure central portion on said spout to reseal said spout when said spout is in the extended tightened position, whereby said central portion seRves as a spout closure cap.
 13. The improvement of claim 12 and further comprising: a pull loop connected to said tab means and having an internal diameter so related to the external dimensions of said spout body as to provide a snug fit of the loop on the spout body when mounted thereon following separation of the cap from the spout body to provide a secure retainer for the cap when separated from the end of the spout body. 